This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2004, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Dear readers:

Thirteen years ago when then-Tribune editor Jay Shelledy approached me (Paul Rolly) about doing a column, I was excited by the idea of becoming the David Broder of Utah.

I didn't realize that what Shelledy had in mind was more along the lines of Ann Landers, Herb Caen and Ziggy. He also insisted I have a partner who differed with me on religious, political and social issues. I could think of many, but when he said the person also had to like me, the field narrowed considerably.

I suggested JoAnn Jacobsen-Wells and after some negotiation, we rescued her from the Deseret News.

After a baker's-dozen raucous roller-coaster years, JoAnn is taking early retirement "to devote more time to my husband and other humanitarian causes." Her departure is effective Dec. 31.

But the column will continue.

Some partnering suggestions have been tossed about: Gayle Ruzicka, Nancy Workman and her hairdresser, Enid Greene, or even Joe Waldholtz if he can swing a parole.

I likely will go solo for the time being, since I can't imagine anyone taking JoAnn's place.

It's a sad time, but also one for reflection about some of the column's high (or low) points over the past 13 years.

Like the time we registered our own church to show how easy it is to form a nonprofit religious organization to receive tax breaks. For a fee of $20, the Church of the Holy Rolly was approved for incorporation by the Department of Commerce. Our articles of incorporation carried the state seal and, as minister of our church, The "Left Reverend'' Rolly had the authority to marry. But after two men requested I perform their wedding, the church decided to specialize only in political confessions and absolutions.

During the reign of Queen Dee (Corradini), we also informed folk how to establish their own offshore companies and avoid paying taxes. (Our own company never quite got off the ground.)

We competed in a media shoot-out during the NBA all-star weekend. Wells made a 3-pointer. Rolly went 0 for 10. We once judged a polo match, a fund-raiser for the Utah Opera Company. Later I rode a horse in a media vs. politicians fund-raising match. My horse got an award for putting up with me.

When a state senator suggested reporters should register as lobbyists, we did, listing the public as our client. We rode in a few parades and almost got arrested once for throwing candy from our convertible. We competed in Fantasy Football against other media and a dog that made its picks by choosing labeled dog food bowls.

We angered the Deseret News when we registered with the Department of Commerce the new names its editors were considering, after they insisted we were wrong when we mentioned they were contemplating changing the name.

We have never been sued, but we made one memorable correction after we reported that Magic Johnson sent the Utah Jazz a birthday cake to celebrate the first anniversary of the Delta Center. It actually had come from Magic Chemical Co.

We have never missed a column in 13 years and that record will continue. JoAnn will be missed more than she knows. But she has promised to be my best source.

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Paul Rolly and JoAnn Jacobsen-Wells welcome e-mail at rolly wells@sltrib.com.